Something isn't right | Story + art

110

#DCC2023

edit: WE APPRECIATE THE FEATURE

Story by ★

Art by ★

The sun shone brightly on the bustling Inkopolis square. Inklings and octolings traveled from store to store, seeking a source for their thirst of style. Among them was a pair, famous for nothing and for everything. The crowd separated to let them through, everyone knew that they were on a mission. But there was something different with the crowd today. There was no vibrant chatter, everything was quiet. Fans did not squeal with delight as the pair walked by. They only watched in fear of what they knew was going to happen.

Pearl and Marina arrived at their studio, but their jaws dropped in shock. It was absolutely doused in graffiti. Not the fun kind, the little stickers that were plastered in stair steps or the cute hearts with two lover’s initials. It was downright vandalism, and the drawings were bone chilling to say the least, if the cephalopods had bones.

“What on earth happened here!?” Marina managed to gasp. She couldn’t take her eyes away from the mess.

Pearl would normally be hopping mad, but even she had been rattled. But as she peered with her glassy eyes at the spray-painted words; GET OUT, she was too furious to speak.

She short inkling angrily peeled of a sticker that had blocked the door from opening, and inserted the key. The glass door swung open, only to reveal a disaster inside.

Marina gasped in shock as she laid eyes on her DJ disk board, carelessly slammed sideways against the spray painted floor.

The two walked to the center of the room.

“Pearl.. it’s one thing for someone to play this big of a prank on us,”

“Marina it’s not a prank. It’s far worse.” Pearl slouched.

“I know. But think about the timing. And what we were about to report.”

The inkling nodded knowingly.

They were about to report about la strange group, practically a cult. A group of about 18-25 year olds vandalizing subway stations, leaving horrifying messages and strange ink swirling like logos everywhere. It was a grim topic, the the pair had agreed to do a segment on it for the safety of the citizens.

“How could they know when we were reporting?” Pearl questioned. Marina’s realization had planted a seed of fear.

“I don’t know. This is so scary, Pearl. We should call the police, maybe they ca-“ And everything went dark.

…

It was still dark, but Marina knew that her eyes were open. A faint pale light shone through the closed curtains of the still wrecked studio, she recognized it as moonlight.

How long have we been here..?

The octoling tried to stand up, but she realized that there was a silver cuff chained to one of her wrists. It was also chained to Pearl, who was leaning on Marina’s back.

“Wake up, Pearl.”

The inkling groaned then opened her eyes.

“What..what happened?!” She exclaimed, extremely alert. She peered at the hand cuff and bared her beak.

“We need to get out of here. Can you get my octophone? It’s in my pocket.” Marina felt Pearl’s warm hand unzip the pocket.. only to find it empty!

“It’s not there!”

“Okay..okay, we just need to unlock the door. Come on. Let’s stand up, three, two, one.” The struggled to balance in the still wrecked floor, but they were standing.

For the next hour they tried everything, unlocking the door, but they struggled to find the key under all the mess. They tried to break a window, but nothing worked. They even tried to catch the attention of late night teens inside the glass cage of a studio, but all the graffiti blocked their faces from being seen. There was a thought, almost duplicating at the back of their minds;

That cult must’ve done this. What can we do?

“This is hopeless.” The inkling said, hugging her legs with one arm. “If we never come out-”

“Don’t say that. We will.” Marina fiercely interrupted.

“I’ll always love you.” Pearl finished, her cheeks turning pink.

“Oh Pearl,” Marina replied, a grin growing on her face. “Me too.”

She reached out and hugged Pearl, warm arms embracing the other. Of course it was a little difficult with the handcuff, but they managed.

…

#Cliffhanger

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